New Bills Will Make Returning Out-of-State Bottles For Deposit a Crime

MARQUETTE, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – A State House Committee in Lansing has overwhelmingly approved a pair of bills designed to discourage people from trying to return out-of-state bottles for deposit money in Michigan.

The bills follow complaints from retailers, especially those in border areas where out-of-state residents have tried to return their bottles to Michigan. The current law already outlaws returning non-returnable containers, these bills, which now go the the full house, add criminal penalties for attempting to return them.

Reports say Michigan loses about $13 million per year in deposits paid out for cans and bottles that never carried a deposit. Penalties vary, based on the number of bottles involved, however fines can be as high as $5,000, along with up to five years in prison.

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